Bend Cultural Tourism Fund awards $300K to support local arts programs
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend Cultural Tourism Fund (BCTF), a program of Visit Bend, recently awarded $300,000 in grants to 22 organizations in Bend. This funding supports arts and cultural tourism projects to increase participation in cultural experiences and spur economic activity during Bend's shoulder seasons.
The BCTF has now reinvested more than $2.8 million across 155 projects since its inception in 2015, marking its 11th year of amplifying art through tourism. These grants are funded entirely by taxes paid by overnight visitors staying in Bend's short-term commercial lodging properties, RV parks and vacation rentals.
An independent review board, the Bend Cultural Tourism Commission, evaluated applications requesting nearly $950,000 before recommending funding for 22 projects. Visit Bend's board of directors approved the commission's recommendations at its monthly meeting.
Top awards include $29,000 each to BendFilm, the High Desert Museum and the Tower Theatre Foundation. These organizations will use the funds for projects such as the Bend Film Festival, "Tattoos of the High Desert" and "Live at the Tower."
Below is a full list of awards and recipients.
| Grantee | Project | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 Entertainment LLC | Volcanic Theatre Next Phase Outreach | $20,000 |
| Art Sprouts, Inc. (Kolovita) | Ukrainian Future-Heritage Arts Series | $10,000 |
| BendFilm, Inc. | Bend Film Festival | $29,000 |
| High Desert Museum | Tattoos of the High Desert | $29,000 |
| Parallel 44 Presents | Concert Series | $17,000 |
| Lay It Out Events | Bend Fall Festival | $20,000 |
| OUT Central Oregon | Winter PrideFest | $19,000 |
| Oxford Hotel | Jazz at the Oxford | $12,000 |
| Pattie Gonia Productions + Outdoorist Oath | Bend Drag Spectacular | $15,000 |
| Paula Dreyer | Piano Flow Live | $9,000 |
| TEDxBend | TEDxBend | $16,000 |
| The Greenhouse Cabaret | 2026–27 Season | $22,000 |
| Tower Theatre Foundation | Live at the Tower | $29,000 |
| American Impressionist Society | National Juried Exhibition | $4,000 |
| Backstitch, Inc. | Mapping Access Research | $7,500 |
| Ballet Bend | Debut Season | $8,000 |
| Bend Comedy and Arts Foundation | Bend Comedy Festival | $6,000 |
| Ghost of Brian Craig, LLC | Song of Sunset | $4,500 |
| High Desert Chamber Music | Concert Series Marketing | $5,000 |
| High Desert Fire Artists | Audience Development Research | $5,000 |
| High Desert Food & Farm Alliance | Food & Farm Fest | $6,500 |
| Oregon State University – Cascades | PRAx Concert Series | $6,500 |
This year's funding reflects a balance of established partners and new voices, helping sustain Bend's cultural ecosystem while expanding opportunities for emerging creators. Thirteen returning organizations received support alongside nine new grantees, bringing the total number of BCTF recipients to 59 since the program's inception.
The BCTF reinvests a portion of Bend's transient lodging tax into organizations seeking marketing and research support for high-quality events that have the potential to attract visitors from beyond a 50-mile radius. The majority of lodging tax revenue goes to the City of Bend to support core services such as police, fire and roads, offsetting costs that would otherwise fall more heavily on residents.
Zavier Borja, Visit Bend's destination stewardship director, oversees the grant program along with its sister initiative, the Bend Sustainability Fund (BSF). Borja highlighted the program's broader impact. "The Bend Cultural Tourism Fund takes the economic reality of Bend's popularity as a destination and uses it to enhance the experiences and quality of life that we all love," Borja said. "That, to me, is a clear example of regenerative tourism at work."
The BSF has awarded nearly $3.9 million for infrastructure-related projects over the past 5 years. By directing visitor-generated revenue directly into the community, both the BCTF and BSF say they help strengthen Bend's economy while supporting creative and visitor experiences.
